Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-18
The National Party.


party, remarks the Louisville Courier
Journal. 1t fights its battles on national
issues. and in its management of public
affairs is controlled by broad, national
principles.
The republican party is the party OF
sectionalism; its leaders seek no follow
ing in the southern states, but base all
their appeals on the pretense that the
wisdom, purity and patriotism in the
country is concentrated in the north. 1t
gives up all expectation of carrying any
southern state, and seeks by arousng
war passions and fast-dying sectional
auimosities to solidify the north. and in
the conduct of the government to treat
one half of our people as aliens or enc
mics.
Because this is so, there has been a
steady growth in the strength of the
democratic party throughout the north
ern states. Its triumphs have not been
accidents; they have been due to con-
viction that the strength, the usefulness
and the welfare of the American people
can be safely. Jeff only in the hands of =
party national in spirit and determined
in its purpose to establish the union on
basis of equal rights.
Moreover, the democratic party is the
party that holds to the principle of local
self government IS the only security for
the perpetuity of the union, As life
grows more complex, as population be-
comes more dense, the Capitalization of
power would mean in time abs0lutism
on the one hand or anarchy on the Other.
1t is not possible for any government
at Washington to give due heed to the
local needs of distant communities. No
central authority can regulate criminal
affairs, educational matters, or determine
other questions of local ihteres; and i'm
the sacrifice of the weak to the strong,
OF one section, or of one class, to anoth-
er. Even in England, with its restricted
territory, the evils of Capitalization are
apparent, and in America, instead Of elm.
mating this feature of local responsibility
from our form Of government we should
note the fact that at our state capitals the
greed for power is threatening the frees
dom of the people
In the recent elections the democratic
party maintained its national character.
In Ohio the campaign of the republican
party turned on the sectional issue. No
attempt to infame the passions of the
war was neglected. No appeal to mar
row prejudice was too vile. The common
rights of citizenship were denied to any
one living south OF Masons and Dixon's
line. Ohio is saved" but the republ
can line is broken, and the contest of
1855 10 settled In advance.
1t was so in the past, it will be so in
the future until material interests have
deadened the conscience of the people
and smothered their patriotism. From
Jefferson to Buchanan the democratic
party embodied in its platforms the ma
II fta
ponents were content with local issues,
with sectional appeals Sectionalism
was back Of the opposition to the war
of 1852, and it undertook to array the
people against the war with Mexico.
The democrats lost power when they div
ided into northern and southern factions
and presented two candidates, one of
whom represented one section, and one
the other.
Until 1876 it lacked cohesion and con
viction. 1t did not deal with current
issues as great national organization.
In that year it made its appeal to the
whole people, and, though for the mo-
ment excluded from power, it forced on
its opponent the adoption of national
policy in dealing with the southern
states.
No party can long retain power in this
country divorced from the national
aspirations of our people. On sectional
issues party may carry one state as
Foraker carries Ohio, but elsewhere
that party is sure to be repudiated. As
long as the democratic party is true to
It's traditions, as long as it seeks the good
not OF a section or a class, but of the
whole people. is ascendancy assured.
When it follows false leaders and to
temporary success surrenders cherished
principles, it is in danger. These are
tne truths to be considered in the next
congress. Questions will there arise
which must be treated in their relation to
the whole people, and the first of these
questions is the tariff.